If these celebrity impersonators in Art Park Players’ production of “The Wedding Singer” look woeful, it’s a tribute to the art of stylist Cody Ray Strimple, who did the wigs and makeup. From left are: ... more

If these celebrity impersonators in Art Park Players’ production of “The Wedding Singer” look woeful, it’s a tribute to the art of stylist Cody Ray Strimple, who did the wigs and makeup. From left are: ... more

Blame stylist for these really bad impersonators in Deer Park musical

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It’s by design that the celebrity impersonators look campy and goofy in the Art Park Players’ production of the Broadway musical “The Wedding Singer” through July 21.

“I got the idea from how in the show they’re always addressed as ‘Fake Tina Turner,’ or ‘Fake Cyndi Lauper,’ etc.,” explained the group’s stylist, Cody Ray Strimple, a licensed cosmetologist.

“I wanted to play off of how they clearly weren’t convincing as ‘street’ impersonators, as opposed to the legit professional impersonators you find performing in Las Vegas,” he said.

For example, Strimple changed his styling of the show’s “Fake Imelda Marcos” from an expensive, lace-front updo to a $10 wig “that’s like combing through Christmas tinsel.”

The Marcos knockoff is portrayed by AnnMarie Tapia, who is joined by fellow Pasadena residents Margo Staley (Fake Cyndi Lauper) and Tatianna Cortez (Fake Tina Turner).

Brian Hughes of League City is not-quite Ronald Reagan, with Rebecca Lenzo of Deer Park as a funny facsimile of Nancy Reagan.

The show’s choreographer, Keith Herrmann, plays Fake Billy Idol.

Chris Malone won’t be mistaken offstage as Mr. T.

“I had way too much fun hunting down these awful wigs,” Strimple said. “It was a nice change of pace getting to shift gears and do something so campy and goofy and intentionally bad.”

Three days after “The Wedding Singer” opened, Strimple started a new job as a stylist at Bishops, a popular unisex salon in Houston’s trendy Midtown neighborhood. His first customer was a Clear Lake teenager who recently performed in “The Aristocats” during a caberet camp at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Friendswood. Strimple helped direct that show.

Strimple, who is 27, began performing at age 11 with the Jr. Art Park Players.

“The more I did theater, the more I noticed I had a knack for hair design and makeup,” said the 2009 graduate of Deer Park High School. Later, he graduated with honors from San Jacinto College in Pasadena with an associate of applied science degree as a cosmetology operator.

“I made straight As,” he said.

In “The Wedding Singer,” Strimple plays the featured role of George, who is a bandmate of Pasadena’s Matt Peña as Robbie Lord.

In the stage production, the role of George is greatly expanded from his “brief but hilarious” appearance in the 1998 movie, “The Wedding Singer,” that inspired the musical.

The role includes a solo, “George’s Prayer,” which is sung at a bar mitzvah, and allows Strimple to strut his falsetto voice in Hebrew.

“I crack up as soon as I get offstage,” he said.

Some of Strimple’s previous roles include Ren in “Footloose” at Center Stage in Deer Park (but now performs as Inspiration Stage in Sugar Land); Tommy Ross in “Carrie the Musical” at Upstage Arts in Webster; and featured spots in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “The Producers,” “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” and “The Addams Family Musical” at Art Park Players.

On Sept. 19, Strimple will be a featured soloist at Pitch Me Productions’ Pop-Up Cabaret in Houston.

“The theme is country music, which I love,” he said. “I grew up listening to country music. It’s in my blood.”

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net